In the aftermath of Wednesday’s exhibition tilt in Abbotsford, the Calgary Flames have sent a pair of their top prospects back to their junior clubs.

The club announced on Thursday that they’ve sent Andrew Basha to the Western Hockey League’s Medicine Hat Tigers and Matvei Gridin to the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League’s Shawinigan Cataractes.

Basha, 18, was a second-rounder in June’s entry draft and really impressed in training camp for his tenacity and confidence. A lot of first-time players in NHL camps look tentative: there was none of that in Basha’s game, which bodes well for his future given his in-your-face, tenacious playing style.

Meanwhile, Gridin heads to Canadian major junior for the first time after impressing in the USHL over the past two seasons. He was a first-rounder in June’s draft and while he needs a bit of polishing away from the puck, he can dazzle with it on his stick. (We have been told by folks around the situation that Gridin would be subject to the CHL’s transfer agreement once he lands in the QMJHL, so presumably he’ll be in junior for this season and the next.)

These moves bring the camp roster down to 54 players. Junior-eligible players remaining in camp include Hunter Brzustewicz, Zayne Parekh, Samuel Honzek and Jaden Lipinski.